Sometimes Tech is Too Much
A couple of weeks ago we took a little camping trip, the first one of the season. It was a little chilly and just a crazy trip from start to finish, but I really enjoyed the disconnect when it finally all came together. Sure, we used the Droid to check weather, and even e-mail a time or two. However, as we sat around the fire roasting marshmallows, I realized that the last thing on my mind was e-mail or computers.
In this connected world we live in, I think it’s important to turn off the “stuff” from time to time and just learn to enjoy the world. There is not much I enjoy more than sitting around a campfire with my family, and enjoying peace from everything. When you sleep in a tent, on the ground, you connect with the world around you.
All night I heard the sounds of the world – coyotes in the distance, undetermined rustling, and owls just to name a few. These are things we don’t hear when we’re connected to our iPods and the home theatre is blasting. Don’t get me wrong, I love those things too. But I think it’s important to have that balance, of nature and technology.
I know some people that feel uneasy when they’re in nature and apart from the comfort of our homes. One of the things about living in eastern Colorado is the sheer unending horizons. Out here on the prairie, the world seems to go on forever, and you feel tiny and insignificant in the middle of it all. For some, that is overwhelming out here. For me, I find it comforting and helps me re-align myself in the world.
So the next time you’re upset at all the technology and it seem overwhelming. Go find a state park, pitch a tent and enjoy a campfire with your family or friends. It’s therapeutic.